MOST SPECIAL VOLUME 4 JOE 90 BLU-RAY REVIEW

I got the new Network Deluxe Volume 4 Blu-Ray sent to me when it was released a couple of weeks ago, and now I’ve watched it, I thought I give my personal views on it.

It comes in a very classy looking box with the Joe 90 logo on the lid. Inside there’s an exclusive booklet – File 90: Viewing Notes by Andrew Pixley. I have to admit I’ve haven’t read it all yet, it’s  244 pages long, but from what I see it’s packed with info on the series’ early stages and development, the characters and the actors who voiced them. There’s even some welcome background on the Joe90: Top Secret comic. and the story books. I have to say like many fans, a lot of my interest with Joe 90 is nostalgic, and I can still remember picking up my first issue of Joe 90: Top Secret at my local newsagent.

The boxed set also comes with its own exclusive comic titled, Joe 90: New Series and dated September 13, 1969. A nice little nod to Joe90: Top Secret, as its last issue was dated September 6, 1969.

The comic contains a very enjoyable Joe 90 strip story written by Martin Cater, who manages to create a very entertaining story over the 13 pages.  The story is illustrated by Paul McCaffrey who, like his previous strip in the Captain Scarlet deluxe Volume 4 set does another excellent job. In my opinion his solid art style works even better in the slightly less futuristic rural backdrop of Joe 90. I wouldn’t dream of giving away the plot suffice to say it has plenty of the elements seen in a Joe 90 episode. There’s lots of Jet-Air car action and Joe gets to wear his glasses.

The deluxe set comes with two discs, one containing the final six episodes making up volume 4 of the set, and a special features disc boasting three newly produced documentary films.  To be honest I have to confess I don’t tend to watch most of Network’s newly produced Anderson stuff, as they generally hold very little nostalgic interest for me.  For the Joe 90 set I thought I’d bend that rule. The first is Project 90, about the making of Joe 90. It’s narrated by Keith Alexander, and contains previously filmed comments from Gerry Anderson explaining his' magnetic tape' inspiration for Joe 90. There are also filmed comments from Sylvia Anderson who talks about the ‘precocious’ Len Jones, the voice of the titular Joe.

A young Len Jones - wash your mouth out with soap!

Deluxe Volume 4 

Volume 4 plus Special Features disc

Keith Alexander, the voice of Sam Loover talks about his days working on the show. Century 21 designer Mike Trim also chats about his time working on the series, although his interview does suffer from a poor soundtrack and jerky visuals for some reason.

Keith Alexander as he appeared via Skype at SHADO Con 1

Mike Trim at Fanderson

Alan Perry at SHADO Con

Mary Turner at Andercon

There’s  also comments from director Alan Perry, and puppeteer Mary Turner.

Those were all the high points for me.   Although I still enjoy the series, as I said earlier, for me the Andersons' series have a lot to do with nostalgia and I like to be taken back to the sixties and told about those early days of Century 21 by the people who actually worked there. 

The second documentary is called The Science of Joe 90, and speculates whether the technology dreamt up by Professor McClaine for the B.I.G.R.A.T. might ever happen. It’s a fair point, but to be honest I got a bit bored with this. I know the human brain is literally mind-bogglingly complicated, but I really felt I was watching a BBC schools programme. Don’t get me wrong, just because I haven’t got the brain pattern of a nine-year old neurosurgeon, doesn’t mean everyone will find it dull. How about this stimulating conversation starter; did you know that in 2014, scientists downloaded a roundworm’s brain and uploaded it into a Lego robot that was able move about independently, incredible!  Like I say, some people will find that fascinating, but I really wouldn’t want to find myself stuck chatting to them in the pub.

The third short film is W.I.N. Briefing narrated by Keith Alexander as Sam Loover. There’s a very brief rundown of how the World Intelligence Network came about and some even briefer visual notes on a couple of characters and, of course W.I.N.’s Project 90. I couldn’t see the point to this. A bit novel I suppose, although   I found the rapid movements over the visuals combined with quick cuts to what we assume are Sam Loover’s highly expressive hands very distracting.  Sorry, not for me this one.

There’s an exclusive widescreen version of the episode, ‘Lone-Handed 90’, remastered in a 1.66.1 aspect.  I'm sure this will delight all those who like a change from the original transmitted 4:3 aspect ratio.

For all the nostalgia buffs like me, who actually remember when the series originally aired in the late sixties there’s a few other goodies on the disc,  though not all are exclusive as some of which can also be found on the previously released Carlton DVD

There’s the short ‘Special Glasses’ sequence, narrated by Tim Turner, showing a close –up of Joe’s glasses. This was intended as a warning to youngsters who shouldn’t put themselves at risk without first obtaining the right Brain Patterns!  

Textless titles, advert  breaks  and textless end titles. I particularly like the memorable end-of-part 1 bumpers. Its a shame no one uses these things nowadays.

The Sugar Smacks commercials: Everyone remembers the Sugar Smacks commercials. 

 I  never got the marvellous Jet-Air car model, but I can still remember collecting the badges and later on those space vehicles. We've even featured those little space models on the blog a long while ago.   No Lyons Maid Zoom commercials on the disc, though.

The disc contains The Amazing adventures of Joe 90, the awful cobbled together effort done for American TV back in 1981. It comes with the original American trailer too. I don’t know anyone who has a good word for it, or the other episode compilations, that eventually found their way to the UK as Home Video cassettes. At the time they were most welcome as it was our only access to the classic Anderson series’ which hadn’t been shown on UK TV for quite some time. Now I have a mint washed out, cheap video titled Blu-ray version with jumbled episodes and a jumbled up soundtrack. Will I ever watch it all the way through? It spite of any nostalgic drawings, I very much doubt it.

There are the usual photo galleries including some from the Doug Luke archive, although those are quite small images, even on my 42” TV screen.   

So there it is, purely a personal view, I don’t expect everyone will agree with me.  It’s nice that Network have a done a special addition for Joe, and, in spite of any of the criticisms I might have made I appreciate all the effort that all those involved have put into it. The book that comes with it is excellent, although I hope it does remain exclusive and not available separately, the same should apply to the most special comic.

Here's a photo showing the other three volumes which don't come with the deluxe volume 4. These are available separately from Network.

Now  it's time to settle down and watch another episode, Uncle Sam….